What Might Have Been
by Kyndeyrn
Summary: What happened is sad hard reality, but what could have happened?


Disclaimer: "No day but today." –Rent

Warning: Slash

A/N: I wrote this yesterday, the night before my last day of school basically because I remembered that exactly a year before I wrote Blood and Angst I believe. With me, I do something once and it automatically becomes tradition. Sorry, it's rather short.

**What Might Have Been**

Harry sighed gloomily as he stepped out of Hogwarts for the last time. He turned and spared himself a final glance at the towering, familiar turrets before walking slowly to the thestral-drawn carriages. He stood on the platform, pivoting around on tip toe in an attempt to catch a glance of Ron or Hermione who had lingered behind a moment, waving him ahead with promises of being along shortly. His eyes swept around once more in a fruitless search for red or brown, instead catching a flash of platinum.

Harry's heart jumped as the rest of Draco Malfoy came into view, then immediately plummeted back into the dark, storm-battered depths of his soul. All year he had been meaning to tell the blonde how he felt about him, how he had fallen in love with him over the summer, but, though he had come close, he had never gone through with it. And now, after today, they would go their separate ways; Harry into training to become an Auror and Draco to learn the ways of his father's business, whatever that may be. Harry never had found out what exactly Draco's father did for a living and now, he reflected sadly, he guessed he never would.

He watched as Draco departed towards the train, unaware of the musings of the boy only feet behind him. A few seconds later said boy was joined by Ron and Hermione. The three boarded shortly thereafter and rode silently away from Hogwarts, away from the life they had known for the past seven years. During the trip Harry's companions livened up a bit, leaving the darker haired teen alone to brood in stony silence. It wasn't until the end of the train journey, when Ron had excused himself to use the facilities that Hermione brought her friend's problem into the light.

"You never told him, did you?"

Harry shook his head sadly.

"You still have time, you know, you could still tell him.

Harry smiled wistfully, "It doesn't work like that, Hermione, I ran out of time long ago."

She looked at him, obviously puzzled, "What do you mean? The train won't arrive in London for another five minutes at least, you could still catch him."

"Hermione, the train could be hours away and I still would be out of time. I was out of time since the first moment I put off telling him until tomorrow. Deep down, since that decisive moment, I've known all year that I wouldn't tell him."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply but at that moment the compartment door rattled open as Ron returned and a second later the train shuttered and stopped as it pulled into the station. Harry sat for a while as movement filled the train around him, just sat and looked out the window. He watched as a platinum blonde head made its way onto the platform, watched as the owner of the head grabbed his luggage, and watched as the boy he loved walked out of his life forever.

What might have been…

Harry grinned happily as he stepped out of Hogwarts for the last time, his arm resting around the shoulders of his boyfriend, Draco Malfoy. Neither looked back at the old castle as they made their way forward, laughing and joking with each other as they headed away from the past seven years of their lives. The two chatted amiably as they stood on the platform, waiting for Ron and Hermione to show up.

After realizing his love for him over the summer, Harry had resolutely made up his mind to tell Draco exactly how he felt, no matter the almost guaranteed disastrous outcome. He had caught up with him in the Entrance Hall, the day after they had all returned to their beloved school and cleared his throat. There had been a vital moment, then, where Harry had been sure that he would not go through with it, but he had quelled his fears and shouted the other boy's name before quite romantically, in Harry's humble opinion, proclaiming his unstoppable feelings.

There had been an awkward week while Draco had been at war with his own mind and emotions, before it became apparent that he returned Harry's feelings and, since that moment, they had spent a happy and fulfilling year together. In the coming summer they planned to vacation in France together before pursuing their chosen career paths. They planned to keep in touch while settling their affairs and hopefully spend a long time together thereafter.

A second later Harry was jolted out of his reverie by the arrival of Ron and Hermione. The four of them piled happily into a carriage, eagerly anticipating the train ride home. Harry had never been happier.

"It's a good thing you two are together." Hermione remarked rather randomly towards the end of the trip.

"I agree," Draco replied slowly, confused, "But what brings this up?"

Hermione shrugged, "Just trying to imagine what might have been if Harry hadn't told you."

Harry put his arm around the blonde and kissed him soundly, "Well I for one am certainly glad I did, I imagine the alternative would be quite depressing."

The train shuttered and stopped as it pulled into the station, cutting off the conversation with a loud screech of the breaks. Harry sat for a moment and closed his eyes, letting the promise of a bright future wash over him. He got up then and in a perfect world walked hand in hand with Draco Malfoy toward the rest of their lives.

More A/N: Well there you have it, review and I'll be grateful. To those of you reading Tell Me on a Sunday I'm terribly sorry for not updating in a forever and a half. Once again, today was my last day of school for the year so I should, hopefully, be doing a lot of writing this summer. Thanks for staying with me and I'll try to update soon. Night.

-Kyndeyrn


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